I am 70 years old. Recently I was on the beach and noticed a woman my age in a revealing swimsuit. I decided to go up to her and make a remark that at our age it is indecent to wear something like that.
A woman my age—she was about 70, maybe a little more or less—was confidently strolling along the beach in a revealing bathing suit, not at all embarrassed by her appearance.
She seemed oblivious to those around her, enjoying her body, which she showed to everyone who was nearby. At some point, I felt a little embarrassed. Perhaps I was thinking too deeply about what is considered “decent” for women our age.
I admit, I watched her with admiration, but I also couldn’t help but think: perhaps the moment had come when it would be worth showing a little more restraint?
Don’t think that I am against self-confidence. I, like this woman, feel young at heart, try to stay active and enjoy life.
But her confidence made me wonder: could it be that as we age, we should strive for a slightly more closed-off image?
I decided to approach her with a remark. I suggested that perhaps it would be worthwhile to choose a more closed swimsuit – after all, we are both not young, and sometimes it is worth showing a little grace. But the reaction of a woman in a revealing swimsuit was unexpected.
She just laughed and kept walking as if my advice hadn’t even been noticed. It made me think: why do I feel the need to give such advice, and what is really important at our age?
Maybe I was just brought up in a different environment, with different ideas about how one “should” look after 70. Maybe old values like restraint and elegance are no longer relevant today, and the very concept of “appropriateness” is changing.
That encounter on the beach, her confidence, her ability to accept herself, showed me that there are many ways we can express ourselves. And maybe I was wrong to think that modesty always means grace.
Each of us chooses how to live and what to wear according to how we feel. Maybe the real message of this story is not that any of us should dress differently, but that each of us has the right to make our own choices, regardless of age.
Our life, our body and our style are our personal business, and the main thing is that we feel comfortable and confident.
